Liverpool news: Jurgen Klopp fears Liverpool could suffer in the Community Shield

‘If you don’t defend well against City you could get a proper knock’: Jurgen Klopp fears Liverpool could suffer in the Community Shield after poor run of form in pre-season

Liverpool face Manchester City in the Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday

Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool could get ‘proper knock’ if they don’t defend well

The Reds have been on the losing end of three pre-season friendlies out of six

Klopp also asked why the Community Shield is played if ‘no one cares about it’

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By Sam Mcevoy For Mailonline

Published: 10:08 BST, 29 July 2019 | Updated: 12:13 BST, 29 July 2019

Liverpool must defend well against Manchester City in the Community Shield or they can expect a hammering, according to Jurgen Klopp.

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The Reds face the Premier League champions in the new season’s curtain-raiser this Sunday where the first piece of silverware is up for grabs.

Liverpool have endured a tough pre-season so far having lost three out of their six friendlies over the past month.

Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool could get a ‘proper knock’ if they don’t defend well against City

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The Reds were beaten 3-0 by Napoli on Sunday – their third pre-season defeat this month

Liverpool were swept aside by Napoli at Murrayfield on Sunday, while they also lost to Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund earlier this month.

Klopp is wary of the threat City possess and has described the clash with Pep Guardiola’s side as one of the most difficult games of the season.

‘I don’t think we can expect to play our best game next Sunday, best game of the season,’ Klopp said in a press conference on Monday morning.

‘That’s how it is with the pre-season we had and we have a long pre-season after that but it’s not about that, it’s about winning a football game. That’s what we’ll try.

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Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side beat Chelsea in last season’s Community Shield

‘So it’s a game against City and it’s the most difficult game of the season in any season and you have to be ready.

‘It’s a good test and I’m sure we will have to defend in a pretty good way because if you don’t defend against City, you could get a proper knock and that’s not ideal from our point of view.’

Klopp also questioned the validity of the Community Shield when so few people fail to treat the competition seriously.

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‘I don’t exactly know why we play this competition when it means nothing,’ he added. ‘Why don’t we just cancel it? In Germany, I won it five times – nobody mentions it but we played every year. People were like “Uh, it’s the Super Cup”.

‘You win it, nobody cares. You lose it, some care. I will ask how it is for the club and what it will mean for the history of the club.’